Louver assembly and control means



July 22, 1969 G. v. JAKEWAY LOUVER ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL MEANS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1967 g 30 /I Z L 3 INVENTOR. 656410 1/.JAKE/d4? BY (7 I flf/ df u y 1969 5. v. JAKEWAY 3,456,574

LOUVER ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL MEANS Filed 001;. 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. 652410 1/. JAKEA/AV United States Patent 3,456,574 LOUVERASSEMBLY AND CONTROL MEANS Gerald V. Jakeway, Grand Rapids, Mich,assignor to Keeler Brass Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation ofMichigan Filed Oct. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 674,482 Int. Cl. F24f 13/16 USCl. 98-121 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A louver assembly of thetype having ganged sets of both horizontal and vertical louver vanes orslats, in which each such set is longitudinally pivotal to change thedirection of air passing through the assembly, and which has a singleoperating handle or lever for pivoting either or both such sets ofvanes, wherein the operating handle is secured to one of the sets ofvanes and pivots the same longitudinally when the handle is swung, andwherein the operating handle may be pivoted with respect to theaforesaid first set of vanes and when so pivoted operates to turn a geartrain having a gear element attached to the second set of vanes, tothereby longitudinally pivot the latter.

BACKGROUND Louver assemblies having longitudinally pivotal blades orvanes have been in use for a considerable length of time in connectionwith ducted and other air-transferring systems, particularly ventilatingand heating systems. Initially, louvers with a single set of vanesarranged generally parallel to each other were provided, some or all ofthe vanes of which were longitudinally pivotal to change the directionof air flowing through the assembly. Subsequently, a second set oflouver vanes was provided arranged immediately before or behind thefirst such set and generally perpendicular thereto, and various controlsystems were utilized by which some or all of the vanes in either setcould be adjusted by longitudinal pivoting movement.

More recently, the increasing popularity of home and automotiveair-conditioning systems has greatly accentuated the need for a two-way(i.e., two sets of mutually perpendicular louver vanes) louver assemblywhich is readily and simply controllable, preferably by a singleoperating lever or other such member, to direct air in any desireddirection, whether upwardly, downwardly, or to one side or the other, orany combination of such movements. The present invention provides such alouver assembly, based on a unique and novel gearing arrangement, inconjunction with the design of the pivotal louver vanes themselves. Thestructure provides extreme case and simplicity of operation over anextremely wide range of adjustability; yet, the structure of theinvention itself is relatively simple in nature, lending itself readilyto production requirements and at the same time not being subject tooperational difiiculties or malfunction.

SUMMARY The louver assembly of the invention has ganged sets ofhorizontal and vertical (i.e., mutually perpendicular) vanes which areeach pivotal about a longitudinal axis by manipulation of a singleoperating or control member. In accordance with the invention, thecontrol member is attached directly to one of the louvers in the firstsuch ganged set thereof, so that by swinging the control member ineither of two directions the said first set of louvers may be similarlyswung or pivoted; also, the control member is arranged to operate agearing means coupled to the second such set of louvers, so thatmovement of the ice control member in a direction different from thatwhich swings the first set of louvers rotates or pivots the second setof louvers through the aforesaid gearing means. Thus, either or bothsets of mutually perpendicular louvers may be pivoted at a given instantto provide adjustment of air flowing through the assembly in allpossible directions, by means of a single control member, in what is inessence a single compound movement of such member.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the louverassembly, drawn on a reduced scale;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation takenthrough the compound vertical plane IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing details of the controlling louvervane in one set thereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the louver vane of FIG. 3and the vanes on either side thereof, shown in a closed position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the operating member;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the control member of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken through the compoundhorizontal plane V'IIVII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a pair of the meshedteeth of the operating gears of the louver assembly in a first operativeposition;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the meshed teeth of theoperating gears of FIG. 8 in a second operative position; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the meshed teeth ofthe operating gears of FIGS. 8 and 9 in a third operative position.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The overall general nature of the present louverassembly can be seen in FIG. 1, which shows the first or vertical set oflouver vanes 10 (including vanes 10a, 10b, 100, etc.), and a set ofhorizontal vanes 12 (including vanes 12a, 12b, As illustrated, the firstset of vanes 10 and the second set of vanes 12 are arranged in amutually perpendicular fashion, while each single vane in each set isgenerally parallel to the other vanes in that set. Each of the vanes inthe two sets has a pair of integral pivot pins projecting from theopposite ends thereof, so that each vane or blade may be mounted betweenend plate members, such as is illustrated at 14, and will then belongitudinally pivotal therebetween. For example, each of the vanes inthe first set 10 thereof has a bottom pivot pin member 16 which fitsinto an individual hole in end plate 14; similary, each vane in this setalso has a top pivot pin 18, which will be received within anappropriate hole in a similar top end plate member (not illustrated),such that the vanes 10 will then be longitudinally pivotal betweenoppositely-disposed end plates. Further, the vanes in the first set 10thereof each have a ganging pin element 20 at one end (for example, thetop) over each of which fits an interconnecting member 22 having equallyspaced holes therein for the pin elements 20. Member 20 thus serves tointerconnect the various louver vanes in this set and thereby gang themtogether in a manner whereby they will remain spaced and coordinatedthroughout their pivotal movement.

As illustrated, the horizontal vanes in the second set 12 thereofsimilarly have integral pivot pins 24 and 26 at their respectiveopposite ends, which pins are intended to be received within appropriatebearing holes in lateral end plate members similar to member 14 notedpreviously. Further, each of the various vanes 12 has a 3 ganging pinelement 28 similar in nature and function to pin element 20 notedpreviously and receivable within appropriate holes formed in a verticalinterconnecting member 30, which performs a function similar to that ofmember 22 just noted.

As further illustrated in FIG. 1, a single control member or operatinghandle 32 is provided for moving each of the two sets of vanes and 12,either separately or simultaneously. Since the various vanes in each setthereof are ganged together for simultaneous movement, movement of anyone such vane will move the entire set of which it is a part. The vanesin the first set 10 thereof are moved by a direct connection of thecontrol member 32 to vane 100, such that (referring to FIG. 1) if member32 is swung horizontally, it will push or pull vane 10c in alongitudinally pivotal movement, about an axis passing through theintegral pivot pins 16 and 18 of this vane which, as stated previously,are received within appropriate stationary end plate members.

The vanes in the second set 12 are moved by the control member 32through a gearing means, including an idler or intermediate gear 34which is rotatably secured to vane 10c and a gear segment 36 which isattached to vane 12b. More specifically, the control member or operatinghandle 32 (FIGS. 2, 5, and 6) comprises a somewhat elongated lever-likemember having a generally flat, circular end extremity 38. Extendinglaterally from this end extremity are a number of gear teeth 40 arrangedin a circular locus and forming in effect a gear which is integral withthe operating handle. This gear meshes with the idler gear 34 when theoperating handle is attached to vane 10c, accomplished by a pivot pin 42which passes through the center of the circular locus on which the teeth40 are arranged. Pivot pin 42 holds handle 32 securely to vane 10c, suchthat this vane will be swung laterally upon corresponding swingingmovement of the operating handle. Preferably, vane 10c has a recessedarea of a depth corresponding to the thickness of the idler gear 34 andthe teeth 40 on the operating handle, so that the outer or exposed sideof idler gear 34 is generally flush with the adjacent side of vane 10c.

The gear segment 36, and its placement upon vane 12b, is best seen inFIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 7. In effect, segment 36 comprises a gear which ismounted on vane 12b perpendicular thereto and with the plane of the vaneintersecting that of the gear along a radius of the latter. As will beunderstood, such a construction may readily be accomplished by slottingthe gear to fit the vane or vice versa, but since operating stresses onthe gear are not great in a louver assembly such as the present one, thegear segment and vane may readily be integrally molded or die-cast of adesired alloy, such as one of the zinc base die-casting alloys commonlyin usage. It is important to note, however, in connection with the gearsegment 36 and vane 1212 that the longitudinal pivot axis of the vane,extending from integral pivot pin 24 to the opposite such pin 26, shouldpass directly through the rotational center of the gear segment.

As indicated previously, the plane of idler gear 34 and that of vane 10cupon which this gear is mounted are substantially coincident, and whenthe first set of vanes 10 is in its centered position (i.e., neitherswung to the right nor left), the intermeshed idler gear 34 and gearsegment 36 are substantially coplanar (FIG. 7). When the first set ofvanes 10 is swung laterally, however, the relative alignment of idlergear 34 and gear segment 36 changes, and these two gears become meshedat increasingly acute angles. This relationship is shown in FIGS. 8, 9,and 10, where a tooth 34a of idler gear 34 is shown engaging a tooth 36aof the gear segment 36. In FIG. 8, the vane 10c has been swung laterallytoward the left as seen in FIG. 1; in FIG. 9 vane 100 is in a centeredposition; and in FIG. 10 vane 10c has been swung toward the right. Forthis purpose, it is desirable that the teeth 34a of idler gear 34 be atleast slightly rounded, the

4 degree of which is exaggerated somewhat in FIGS. 7 through 10.

It is very important that the point of coincidence of the respectivepitch diameters of intermeshing idler gear 34 and gear segment 36 or,more accurately, pitch lines, since a gear rack may also be used as atleast one of these gear members falls somewhere on the longitudinalpivot axis of vane 100. A preferred form of this relationship isillustrated in FIG. 2, where the line of action of the idler gear andthe gear segment coincides with this pivot axis, which is shown as acenterline and designated by the numeral 44. It should be understood,however, that while the aforementioned point of pitch line coincidencewill of course always be on the line of action of idler 34 and gearsegment 36, and while this point of coincidence must in accordance withthe invention fall on the point axis of vane 100, it is not essentialthat the line of action and the point axis coincide in the manner i1-lustrated. As stated, this is to be preferred, but it is enough if theline of action and pivot axis merely intersect at the aforesaid point ofcoincidence. This basic relationship provides complete freedom ofrelative pivotal movement between idler gear 34 and gear segment 36, andtheir respective vanes as well, limited only by the specificconfiguration which is chosen for the shape of the gear teeth and, ofcourse, the mutual contact of the vanes themselves. As previouslystated, it is also important that the longitudinal pivotal axis of vane12b in the second set of vanes pass through the center of rotation ofgear segment 36, since this makes the pivotal movement of the second setof vanes a free and unrestricted movement.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, it is desirable that a slot 112 be formed inthe trailing edge of vane 12a in order to clear gear segment 36 when thesecond set of vanes 12 has been pivoted to the extent where theindividual vanes begin to lie in closely overlapping relationship. Asimilar such slot should also be formed in vane 12c if it is desiredthat the second set of vanes be pivotal to the opposite such overlappingrelationship, generally shown in phantom in FIG. 2, which alsoillustrates the position of the vertical ganging or interconnectingmember 30 for the second set of vanes 12 when such vanes are in theaforesaid closely overlapping or closed relationship.

It is entirely conceivable that upon examining the foregoing disclosure,those skilled in the art may devise embodiments of the concept involvedwhich differ somewhat from the embodiment shown and described herein, ormay make various changes in structural details to the presentembodiments. For example, the inventor specifically contemplates anarrangement wherein the idler gear 34 is eliminated for greatersimplicity and economy of manufacture. Also, the operating handle 32 maybe eliminated and the teeth 40 located thereon extended slightly beyondthe front edge of vane to provide a finger-operated wheel forcontrolling the louver vanes. Additionally, the gearing means providedby the teeth 40 and the idler 34 could be replaced by a rock instead ofa gear wheel, so that the control of the vanes 12 would be effected by asliding movement of such rock along vane 100. Since these and other suchalternative arrangements are clearly within the scope of the invention,all such changed embodiments or variations of the invention as utilizeits underlying concepts and clearly incorporate its spirit to beconsidered as within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a louver assembly, of the type having ganged sets of horizontaland vertical louver vanes which are each pivotal longitudinally tochange the direction of air passing through the assembly, and which hasa single operating member for pivoting either or both of said sets ofvanes in selectable combinations of horizontal and vertical movement,the improvement comprising: means connecting said operating member toone of said sets of vanes such that Said member when moved will push onsuch vanes to pivotally swing them; said connecting means furtherallowing relative movement in a predetermined direction of said memberwith respect to said one set of vanes; means defining at least some gearteeth attached to said operating member; and intermediate gear meansbetween such gear teeth and the other of said sets of vanes andoperative such that said operating member when so moved with respect tosaid one set of vanes will act on said other set of vanes through saidteeth and said gear means to pivot said other set of vaneslongitudinally.

2. The improvement in a louver assembly recited in claim 1, wherein saidgear means includes at least two gear elements, said elements beingmeshed at a point of pitch line intersection which lies substantiallyupon the pivotal axis of said one vane in said one set thereof.

3. The improvement in a louver assembly recited in claim 1, wherein saidgear means includes a gear segment secured to one of the louver vanes insaid other set thereof.

4. The improvement in a louver assembly recited in claim 3, wherein saidgear segment comprises in essence a circular gear portion mounted onsaid one vane in said other set generally perpendicular to such vane,with said vane lying in a plane which is coincident with a radius ofsaid gear portion.

5. The improvement in a louver assembly recited in claim 4, wherein saidone vane has a longitudinal pivot axis passing through the center ofrotation of said gear portion.

6. The improvement in a louver assembly recited in claim 3, wherein thelocus of said gear teeth attached to said operating member is circularin character, and wherein said means connecting said operating member tosaid one set of vanes comprises a pivot pin element extending from saidmember on a line passing through the center of said circular locus andanchored to one of the vanes in said one set thereof.

7. The improvement in a louver assembly recited in claim 6, wherein saidgear means further includes at least one idler gear meshed between saidgear teeth and said gear segment to drive one from the other thereof.

8. The improvement in a louver assembly recited in claim 7, wherein saididler gear is rotatably mounted upon said one vane in said one setthereof.

9. The improvement in a louver assembly recited in claim 8, wherein saididler gear and said gear segment mesh at a point of pitch lineinteresection which lies substantially upon the pivotal axis of said onevane in said one set thereof.

10. The improvement in a louver assembly recited in claim 9, whereinsaid gear segment comprises in essence a circular gear portion mountedon said one vane in said other set generally perpendicular to such vane,with said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,920,549 l/l960Frietz. 2,940,375 6/1960 Schucker. 2,959,117 11/1960 Wright. 2,996,9708/1961 Goettl. 2,996,971 8/1961 Goettl.

MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

